Yeongju City Surpasses 4.3 Billion Won in Hometown Love Donations Last Year, Ranks No. 1 Among North Gyeongsang Local Governments

A 440% Surge from Last Year
Return Gift Strategy with Apples and Korean Beef Proves Effective

The love for one’s hometown has been proven in numbers.

Yeongju City in North Gyeongsang Province announced that its total Hometown Love Donation Fund for 2025 has surpassed 4.3 billion won, recording the highest performance among all basic local governments in the province.

Yeongju City is holding a hometown love donation ceremony with Gimcheon Nonghyup. Photo by Yeongju City

This figure represents an increase of approximately 440% compared to last year’s fundraising total of 800 million won. The cumulative amount raised from the first year of the Hometown Love Donation Program in 2023 through 2025 has reached 5.5 billion won.

Yeongju City analyzed that its strategy of operating a selection of return gifts centered on local specialties such as apples and Korean beef, as well as systematically organizing and managing a diverse range of items to broaden donor choices, led to these results.

In particular, the city’s continuous efforts to strengthen a donor-centered approach-by constantly monitoring donor feedback on return gifts and establishing a prompt improvement and feedback system-were evaluated as key to its success.

Yeongju City has not only focused on expanding fundraising but has also worked to ensure transparent and responsible management of donations. Last year, the city utilized donations for projects that residents could directly benefit from, such as establishing a pilot carbon-neutral cafe and supporting the replacement of outdated equipment at obstetrics and gynecology clinics in underserved areas, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the program.

Additionally, the participation of the oldest donor this year, a 91-year-old named Song, demonstrated that the Hometown Love Donation Program is becoming a bridge connecting generations and regions to their hometowns.

An official from Yeongju City stated, “Achieving 4.3 billion won and ranking first in North Gyeongsang Province is thanks to the participation of every single donor who supported Yeongju. We will continue to manage the donations responsibly so that they contribute to regional development and the improvement of citizens’ quality of life.”

Yeongju City plans to continue its efforts to ensure the Hometown Love Donation Program takes root in the local community by diversifying its fund projects.